Teaching Children to Pick Up After Themselves

I often hear mothers complain about how hard it is to keep their children's rooms and play areas clean and free of toys and clothes.  In fact many of my organizing jobs involve children's rooms.  If you want to give yourself back some time in your day, enlist the children to help keep all spaces clutter free.  

Give everyone a ten-minute warning to tidy up before play or game time ends.  Most kids can pick up a space in 10 minutes.  Anything not picked up when the timer goes off is confiscated and put into a unclaimed toy/game bin.  They can get it out for the price doing a chore or helping a sibling with something.  Anything left for more than 30 days is donated.  

Although children often complain about chores, it is one of the best ways to teach children responsibility, both within the family unit and in life in general.  Children who learn to pick up after themselves early in life have better study and work habits.  And as an added bonus, you don't have to do quite so much around the house.  Win/win.  

Sharon Schierling  MBA |  214-264-7146  |  sharon@refinedperspectives.com  | Member of American Association of Christian Counselors  Member of International Christian Coaching Association  | Refined Perspectives is a top professional organizer in the Frisco, Texas Professional Organizer guide on FindMyOrganizer.com.